Blood
drive co-chairs receive awardBrenda Kaschmitter and Cheri Holthaus the co-chairs for the Cottonwood
Blood drive have received the Red Cross T.E.A.M. Award. This award
is presented in each state of our region; Idaho, Montana and Utah.
Only three awardsare presented in the entire region. The guideline
is, “Outstanding teamwork and exceptional service performed by a Red Cross
volunteer team.”
The Cottonwood Blood Drive has a large volunteer base. “Brenda
and Cheri embrace all the volunteers and make them feel important and they
keep coming back,” said Karen Parvin, Red Cross Donor Representative.“The
HOSA high school students are on board as well as many senior citizens
who have been there for 20 years.”
The team has done two in-service training sessions with the employees
of St. Mary’s Hospital; which has increased the employee donor base by
over 50%. The hospital sponsors the blood drives as well as employees
both Kaschmitter and Holthaus. They have also done in-services at
Prairie High School. “If we can get the students to start donating
blood at an early age chances are they will continue to donate throughout
their lives,” commented Kaschmitter.
The goal for the Cottonwood drive is 90 units. “This is a pretty
lofty goal for a town with a population of just a little over 900,” remarked
Parvin. Since 2008; when Brenda and Cheri took over the chairmanship
their blood drives have added up to 1267 units; which is 7 units over their
goal. The team continues to educate the community about the need
for blood and bringing in many first time donors, which is sustaining and
building the donor base.
“Brenda and I want to thank the Red Cross for this honor; but this
award belongs to a lot of different people, not just the two of us. It
belongs to all those who volunteer their time and of course all the donors
who come in time after time to give their blood. We want to thank
each and every one of you,” said Holthaus.